The 35 species of civet and genet make up the familyViverridae. They are small, lithe-bodied, mostly aboreal members of the orderCarnivora. General appearance is broadly cat-like, but the muzzle is extended and often pointed, rather like an otter or a mongoose.

Civets are prized for their musk and their fur. Civet is used to refer to the musk they produce, as well as the animals themselves: it is used in small quantities in some perfumes. Despite their endangered species status, civets are also prized for their meat; it has been suggested that the practice of eating them may have resulted in the SARSvirusoutbreak[?] of 2002.